Chicago aims to hire more public school graduates

CHICAGO (AP) — The city of Chicago says it will give hiring preference for some positions to those who have graduated from public high schools in the city.

The initiative is aimed at encouraging students to stay in school and graduate.

In hiring for select positions, the city's Department of Human Resources will ensure at least 20 percent of candidates referred are Chicago Public Schools graduates.

The hiring preference would apply to positions like that of general laborer in the Department of Streets and Sanitation. That position involves training for tasks like tree trimming, graffiti removal, sanitation removal and hand labor work.